Metal floor rack for refrigerator cars



Dec. 7, 1965 L. w. LEMON ETAL 3,221,670

METAL FLOOR RACK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Sept. 17, 1962 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 LUCIE/V W. LEM N KRISTJAN H. PHLSS NITTOR/VE'YS L. w. LEMON ETAL 3,221,670

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEMON INVENTORD LUCI EN W. KRISTJHN HIP/55cm! ,47'TORNEKS Dec. 7, 1965 METAL FLOOR RACK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Sept.17, 1962 Dec. 7, 1965 w. LEMON ETAL METAL FLOOR RA CK FOR REFRIGERATORCARS Filed Sept. 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS L-UCIEN' \M LEMONKRISTJAN H. PHLSSON BY United States Patent 3,221,670 METAL FLOOR RACKFOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Lucien W. Lemon and Kristian H. Palsson, Renton,Wash., assignors to Pacific Car and Foundry Company, Renton, Wash., acorporation of Washington Filed Sept. 17, 1962. Ser. No. 224,089

2 Claims. (Cl. 105375) This invention relates to the construction ofrefrigerator cars, and particularly the sectional secondary floors withwhich refrigerator cars are generally equipped.

Commonly referred to as floor racks, these sectional floors have astheir purpose to elevate freighted goods above the floor proper of thecar so that refrigerated air will be enabled to pass under the goods.The floor racks are made sectional so as to be of a size which permitsthe racks to be conveniently lifted into an out-of-the-way position forcleaning the car. To facilitate such lifting, the sections which lie ateach end of the car, namely between such ends and the centrally placeddoor openings, are individually hinged to the car along an outer sideedge of the concerned section, and are swung upwardly about the centerof the hinge as a longitudinal axis into upstanding positions overlyingthe adjacent side wall. Catches mounted on the side walls engage theupstanding racks to releasably hold the same while the cleaningoperation is being performed.

In the centrally placed area of the car doors, the floor racks are nothinged to the car but rather are hinged by anend edge to the end edge ofan adjacent car-hinged section, the procedure-when exposing the floorfor cleaning-being to fold the center rack sections upon theircar-hinged sections after swinging the latter upwardly about theircar-carried hinges.

Floor racks have been long used, the early racks consisting simply ofwood slats nailed or screwed to wood stringers. With the advent of thelift, truck it was found that wood would not withstand the destructivedriving and braking stresses passed into the racks from the wheels ofthe trucks, and metal was substituted for wood as the material fromwhich the slats were produced. Later the stringers were also drawn frommetal stock.

For its principal object the present invention aims to provide a strongand durable metal rack having unusually light weight and which admits ofbeing produced at minimum cost. Employing transverse slats welded orbonded to longitudinal stringers, the invention further aims to providea rack in which the stringers are so formed as to give unusually hightransverse rigidity and in which the slats are interiorly braced toabsorb the forces imposed by the motion and sudden stopping of the lifttrucks more effectively than has been heretofore possible.

The above and still additional objects and advantages in view willappear and be understood in the course of the following description andclaims, the invention consisting in the novel construction and in theadaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a railway carequipped with floor racks constructed in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention, the racks as here portrayed having been swungupwardly against the cars side wall and being those in the area of thecars side door in order to show the manner in which one rack is hingedto and folded against another rack.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view through thecar and one of the racks with the operative and inoperative positions ofthe latter being shown by full and dotted lines, respectively, the scalebeing enlarged from that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view drawn to anenlarged view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view illustratinga rack of modified construction, particularly one which admits of beingmade of steel as distinguished from aluminum for which the rack of thepreceding views is expressly engineered. The scale here employed isreduced from that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view drawn online 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 66 of FIG. 4;and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view drawn to an enlargedscale on line 77 of FIG. 1.

In said drawings, the floor of a conventional refrigeration car isdenoted by the numeral 10, and a flue-forming side wall thereof by 11.

In both the aluminum and steel embodiments, the individual racks are ofrectangular plan configuration with a width moderately less thanone-half the transverse span of the car. The racks are made in twolengths, long and short. The long racks A are dimensioned so that twopairs, one pair at one side and the other pair at the other side,collectively cover the area lying between an end wall and the opening 12(for the car door 13) which is located at the center of the car. Theshort racks B have a length approximately one-half that of the longracks. Two pairs of such short racks, one pair extending along one sideand the other pair along the other side of the car, collectively coverthe cars door area. The long racks A are each hinged either to the floor14 or to the side wall 15 of the car along the outside edge of the rack.The short racks B are each hinged to an adjacent long rack A along themeeting edges. The stringers of the racks rest upon the floor and extendlongitudinally of the car. The slats overlie the stringers and extendtransversely of the car. As before stated the two are fixedly secured,one to the other, by welding or bonding.

First describing the aluminum embodiment, both the slats 20 and thestringers 21 are produced by the extrusion process. In the instance ofthe stringers, the crosssectional configuration is that of a knee bracewith the post leg 22 and the diagonal leg 23 diverging upwardly at anapproximate 60 angle, placing the bench component 24 at the top. Thisbench component is or may be made with a thickened overhang 25. Amoderately wide foot 26 is provided. As can be best seen from aninspection of FIG. 2, the diagonal legs point in opposite directions asbetween the two end stringers, preferably inwardly.

The sectional configuration of the aluminum slats can be best seen froman inspection of FIG. 3, being in the nature of a doubled downwardlyfacing channel with the outer legs 30 each flanged to form an inwardlydirected foot 31. Merging at the top, the inner legs 32 divergedownwardly at a moderately steep angle and perform a bracing function,each being flanged at the bot-tom to form an outwardly directed foot 33.The upper face of the slat is ribbed longitudinally, as at 34. In orderto increase the footing surface, and to better withstand rackinginfluence of the lift trucks, all of the slats other than the two endslats and a respective adjacent adapter slat 20' are biased in amoderate degree (see FIG. 1) so as to lie diagonal to the longitudinalcenter line of the railway car.

-In pivoting the racks to the car, two of the slats spaced more or lessequidistantly from the transverse center line of the rack are mutilatedat their inner end, namely the end proximal to the cars side :wall, byhaving the inner legs 32 cut back for, say, 2". The space provided byeach of these mutilations, between the inturned bearing feet 31 of theouter legs 30, accommodates a respective forked bracket 35 bolted orotherwise rigidly secured to the car A cross-pin 36 has its endsjournaled for rotation in the fork arms 39 of the bracket. A hinge butt37 is welded to the proximal stringer of the rack and is formed with aprojecting hook 38 which saddles the crosspin in the space between thefork-arms of the bracket, such hook being releasably fixed to the pin bya clamping bolt 40. When the racks are swung upwardly about thecoinciding centers of the cross-pins as a-hinge axis, the same arereleasably held by catches 42 mounted on the cars side wall. Complements43 of said catches are fixed to the free ends of the racks.

The hinge connections previously mentioned by which racks in the doorarea are attached to the racks which are hinged to the car are comprisedof twin links 43 (see FIGS. 1 and 7) pivoted by pins 44 to the post legsof the stringers. The bracing legs are cut back in the degree necessaryto accommodate the links, and the post legs are beefed up by facingplates 45.

Proceeding to a description of the steel rack illustrated in FIGS. 4,and 6, the slats 50 have much the same sectional appearance as thealuminum slats but are fabricated from two channel members brought intotouching engagement and skip welded. The outer bearing feet 51 havetheir free ends 52 upturned, and each facing surface of the joinedchannels is reinforced by a longitudinally extending recessed crimping53. The stringers 54 may have either a channel or Z sectionalconfiguration, and have their vertical legs 55 reinforced at spacedintervals of the length by vertical crimps 56. One or more of thestringers are made to function as a knee brace by the employment ofweld-connected diagonal legs 57.

The invention will, it is believed, have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description of our now-preferred embodiments ofthe invention. Changes in the details of construction can be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordinglyour intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadestinterpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

What we claim is:

1. In a refrigeration chamber which comprises the interior of a railwaycar, a plurality of all-metal racks collectively covering the floor ofsaid chamber and each comprised of paralleling spaced-apart stringersbearing upon the floor with closely spaced slats disposed in overlyingcross-angular relation to the stringers and secured rigidly thereto, theindividual slats, sectionally considered, having the shape of twodownwardly facing touching channels, the side edge of said rack whichlies proximal to a side wall of the chamber being hinged to the car sothat the rack may be swung upwardly about the center of the hinge as anaxis into an out-of-the-way position against said side wall, said hingecomprising a forked bracket fixed to the car, with a hinge pin extendingbetween and journaled by its ends for rotation in the two arms of thefork, the bracket occupying a position centered with respect to the endof one of the slats, said end of the slat overhanging a side stringer ofthe rack, the span of the bracket being less than the width of the slat,and a hinge butt fixed to said side stringer of the rack in a positionunderlying said overhanging end of the slat and centered relative to thewidth of said slat and formed to provide a hook-shaped projection whichhas a saddling fit over the pin in the interstice between said fork armsand is clamped thereto, the concerned slat being mutilated by having thelegs of its two channels which lies at the center of the slat cut backin the degree necessary to produce a covered pocket of a depthsufficient to accommodate said butt and the portion of the bracket whichreceives the ends of the hinge pin.

2. In a refrigeration chamber comprising the interior of a railway carand characterized in that the predominant flow of traffic as goods aremoved into and out of the chamber is longitudinal to the chamber, aplurality of all-metal racks collectively covering the fioor of saidchamber and each comprised of paralleling spaced-apart longitudinalstringers with closely spaced slats disposed in overlying cross-angularrelation to the stringers and secured rigidly thereto, the individualslats, sectionally considered, having the shape of two touching channelsflanged along the bottom to form a bearing foot at the base of each ofthe vertical legs of the channels, the vertical legs of said twotouching channels which lie at the center of the slat divergingdownwardly at angles steeply inclined in opposite directions from aplane which includes the line of contact between the channels and liesperpendicular to the upper face of the slat, the side edge of said rack:which lies proximal to a side Wall of the chamber being hinged to thecar so that the rack may be swung upwardly about the center of the hingeas an axis into an out-of-the-Way position against said side wall, saidhinge comprising a forked bracket fixed to the car, with a hinge pinextending between and journaled by its ends for rotation in the two armsof the forks, the bracket occupying a position centered With respect tothe end of one of the slats, said end of the slat overhanging a sidestringer of the rack, the span of the arms of the bracket being lessthan the width of the slat, and a hinge butt fixed to said side stringerof the rack in a position underlying said overhanging end of the slatand centered relative to the Width of the slat and formed to provide ahook-shaped projection which has a saddlling fit over the pin in theinterstice between said fork arms and is clamped thereto, the concernedslat being mutilated by having said inclined legs of its two channelscut back in the degree necessary to produce a covered pocket of a depthsufiicient to accommodate said butt and the portion of the bracket whichreceives the ends of the hinge pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,169,307 1/1916Van Dorn -375 1,828,842 10/1931 Loucks 189-34 1,867,433 7/1932 Young189-34 2,274,998 3/1942 Webster 105-375 2,275,037 3/1942 Watter 189-342,382,761 8/1945 Wilks 189-34 2,471,459 5/1949 Stich 248-235 2,603,1697/1952 Jahn 105-375 2,907,417 10/1959 Doerr 105-422 3,070,337 12/1962Gates 248-235 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner.

1. IN A REFRIGERATION CHAMBER WHICH COMPRISES THE INTERIOR OF A RAILWAYCAR, A PLURALITY OF ALL-METAL RACKS COLLECTIVELY COVERING THE FLOOR OFSAID CHAMBER AND EACH COMPRISED OF PARALLELING SPACED-APART STRINGERSBEARING UPON THE FLOOR WITH CLOSELY SPACED SLATS DISPOSED IN OVERLYINGCROSS-ANGULAR RELATION TO THE STRINGERS AND SECURED RIGIDLY THERETO, THEINDIVIDUAL SLATS, SECTIONALLY CONSIDERED, HAVING THE SHAPE OF TWODOWNWARDLY FACING TOUCHING CHANNELS, THE SIDE EDGE OF SAID RACK WHICHLIES PROXIMAL TO A SIDE WALL OF THE CHAMBER BEING HINGED TO THE CAR SOTHAT THE RACK MAY BE SWUNG UPWARDLY ABOUT THE CENTER OF THE HINGE AS ANAXIS INTO AN OUTE-OF-THE-WAY POSITION AGAINST SAID SIDE WALL, SAID HINGECOMPRISING A FORKED BRACKET FIXED TO THE CAR, WITH A HINGE PIN EXTENDINGBETWEEN AND JOURNALED BY ITS ENDS FOR ROTATION IN THE TWO ARMS OF THEFORK, THE BRACKET OCCUPYING A POSITION CENTERED WITH RESPECT TO THE ENDOF ONE OF THE SLATS, SAID END OF THE SLAT OVERHANING A SIDE STRINGER OFTHE RACK, THE SPAN OF THE BRACKET BEING LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SLAT,AND A HINGE BUTT FIXED TO SIDE STRINGER OF THE RACK IN A POSITIONUNDERLYING SAID OVERHANGING END OF THE SLAT AND CENTERED RELATIVE TO THEWIDTH OF SAID SLAT AND FORMED TO PROVIDE A HOOK-SHAPED PROJECTION WHICHHAS A SADDLING FIT OVER THE PIN IN THE INTERSTICE BETWEEN SID FORK ARMSAND IS CLAMPED THERETO, THE CONCERNED SLAT BEING MULTILATED BY HAVINGTHE LEGS OF ITS TWO CHANNELS WHICH LIES AT THE CENTER OF THE SLAT CUTBACK IN THE DEGREES NECESSARY TO PRODUCE A COVERED POCKET OF A DEPTHSUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE SAID BUTT AND THE PORTION OF THE BRACKET WHICHRECEIVES THE ENDS OF THE HINGE PIN.